Special Events commemorating the Fiftieth Anniversary of Human Space Flight and the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space

Special Events at the Vienna International Centre, 1 June - 1 July 2011

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space and also the 50th anniversary of human spaceflight, the following special events will be offered.

Registration to Astronauts and Cosmonauts Panel "The Future of Humankind in Space", Thursday, 2 June 2011, City Hall , Vienna

Astronauts Leland Melvin (USA), Chiaki Mukai (Japan), Claude Nicollier (Switzerland), Thomas Reiter (European Space Agency), Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor (Malaysia), Liwei Yang (People's Republic of China), So-yeon Yi (Republic of Korea)and others will take part in a panel discussion "The Future of Humankind in Space", to be followed by a Q&A and Autograph session.

Special Exhibition on Human Spaceflight at the Vienna International Centre, 1-30 June 2011

Marking five decades since the first human travelled into outer space, a large multinational exhibition on national and international human spaceflight programmes will be held at the Vienna International Centre from
1 -30 June 2011.

The exhibit is sponsored by Algeria, Austria, Belgium, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Romania, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America, Venezuela, the European Space Agency and the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA).

Among the exhibits will be models of American, Chinese and Russian rockets and spacecraft that have taken humans into Earth orbit and to the Moon; models of the International Space Station as well as space station modules provided by Italy, Japan and the European Space Agency; and models of Europe's and Japan's space station supply craft.

A full-scale replica of a spacesuit worn by astronauts aboard the International Space Station will be provided by Italy and, from 1-10 June, the United States of America will provide a touchable piece of Moonrock brought back by astronauts of the Apollo lunar missions.

Space Tours for Schools

As an enriching educational experience, UNOOSA and the United Nations Information Service at Vienna will be offering special school tours between 1-10 June, where classes will be taken round the exhibition and be able to talk to space experts from various countries. For more information:

Space Day at the United Nations: Free Open Day on 4 June 2011 (1000 -1700 hrs)

Sharing its celebration of five decades of human spaceflight, and with the support of the sponsors of the exhibition, the Vienna International Centre will open its doors to all visitors for a free "Space Day at the United Nations" on
Saturday, 4 June 2011. Visitors will be able to see the exhibit, free of charge. For a full experience,
special tours will take place at 1000 hrs, 1200 hrs and 1400 hrs from Gate-1.